Misty's Song
by oxEmmaxo
Summary: Based on 'Misty's Song' from the album '2.B.A. Master'. Misty contemplates her feelings for Ash. Will they ever be returned? One-shot. PokéShipping.


**_Out here in the quiet of the night,  
__Beneath the stars and moon_**

Misty could hear the light snores coming from Ash and Brock. Pikachu was sleeping peacefully next to Ash. She wished she could be asleep too, but for some reason she just couldn't get to sleep tonight.

So here she was, sitting on a log by the campfire, gazing at the stars and wondering what the future would hold. She hoped that things would go well for her, that she would succeed at becoming a Water Pokémon Master. She hoped that one day she would capture a Vaporeon. But that wasn't the only thing she wanted to capture; she wanted his heart.

Misty sighed and looked toward the two sleeping boys. Brock and Pikachu were sound asleep, but Ash had turned on his side and was yawning, beginning to sit up.

Noticing her sitting there, he said, "Hey Misty, why are you up so late?"

"I couldn't sleep," she replied quietly.

Without a word Ash rose from his sleeping bag and moved to sit next to her on the log. They didn't say anything, and an awkward silence grew between them.

**_We both know we've got somethin' on our minds  
We won't admit, but it's true_**

Misty snuck a glance at Ash. He was staring into the crackling fire, and looked deep in thought. Misty looked at the fire, too, watching as it swirled and danced around the logs.

Keeping her eyes firmly fixed on it, Misty tried not to think about Ash sitting next to her. Their legs were close, almost touching, and she didn't want him to see what that was doing to her.

So she tried to ignore it, to ignore the heat she could feel that wasn't coming from the fire and the little shivers it sent through her leg.

**_You look at me, I look away..._**

Misty heard Ash sigh, and she turned her head slightly to better watch him out of the corner of her eye.

"Misty," he whispered, as he twisted around to look at her. She could feel his warm breath on her cheek, which sent her heart racing and made her skin tingle.

Blushing, Misty quickly turned away and returned to staring at the fire. Ash did the same, and the uncomfortable silence resumed.

**_I wanna tell you what I'm feeling, but I  
don't know how to start_**

Still gazing at the fire, Misty thought about how her feelings toward Ash had changed since she had met him. She remembered how furious she was when she found her bike after it had been ruined by Pikachu's Thunderbolt. How she had begun to admire him when she had seen the compassion he had for Pokémon in Viridian Forest, after he caught Caterpie, and when he had had to release it as a Butterfree. How scared she had been when she had heard his voice and had then been pulled up into the air shortly after he had entered the Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town, and when she had entered it with Brock only to find his unconscious – and at the time, possibly dead – body. The memories of all the adventures they had had together were flashing through her mind, and she was forced to remember all the times she had wanted to tell him how she felt, but had chickened out.

**_I wanna tell you, but now I'm afraid that  
you might break my heart_**

So many times she had wanted to tell him, but she was so scared that he might reject her. Then they'd have to keep travelling with each other, their friendship awkward, and there would be no chance for the two of them. She couldn't bear the thought of pouring out her feelings to him, only to find that he didn't feel the same way. That was her greatest fear. Her heart ached just thinking about that happening.

**_Oh, why should anything so easy, ever be so hard to do?_**

It made her so afraid, she didn't know if she could ever tell him. It was just so hard…but why? It was just three short words. Three. And she couldn't even say them! She felt so ashamed, but that didn't make it any easier.

**_I wanna tell you what I'm feeling, and to  
say that, I love you_**

Those three words were just as hard to say. She longed to just say them, to let her feelings out and then there wouldn't be anything to worry about. She just wanted to say,_ I love you_. Was that really so hard? She should be able to do it...so why did it have to be so hard? She wished she could just say it and get it over with! That she could tell him how she felt...

**_I practice all the things that I could say,  
Line by line, every word_**

Every day Misty imagined what she would tell Ash, every day she would have a new phrase planned out and rehearsed in her mind, paying attention to detail and making sure everything was perfect. She always wanted the moment to be just right, and she didn't ever want to ruin it by saying the wrong thing.

**_I tell myself today could be the day,  
But every time, I lose my nerve_**

With the perfect words practiced and ready to be spoken, she would always go to tell him. She'd wait until they were alone, but the furthest she had ever gotten was saying that she had something to tell him. After that, she always got too scared and quickly came up with something else to tell him, to cover it up. She hated that she always backed out. Even as she did it, she was upset and angry with herself for not being able to say a few stupid words to stupid Ash. But it didn't make a difference, she had still never worked up the courage to tell him.

**_I look at you, you look away..._**

Misty couldn't take not looking at him anymore with him so close to her still, and seeing him glance at her out of the corner of his eye every so often.

So, she turned her head in his direction, looking at him. It was his turn to blush and look away this time, and as he turned to check on Pikachu, Misty resumed staring at the fire.

**_I wanna tell you what I'm feeling, but I  
don't know how to start_**

She thought once more about Ash, and everything they had done together. All the times they'd argued, which she knew (but always denied) was just because of how she felt about him, all the times she'd cheered for him in his gym battles. She recalled his remark when he'd seen her in a bikini at Porta Vista, something like "Wow, you actually look like a girl for once". She'd felt all warm and fuzzy inside, because coming from Ash, that was a compliment.

**_I wanna tell you, but now I'm afraid that  
you might break my heart_**

Even as she'd realised that he had complimented her, she'd known that it hadn't meant anything more. He didn't particularly like the way she looked, she knew, and it was foolish to get her hopes up like that. If he knew how she felt about him, he'd probably laugh, and her heart would break into a million – no, wait, make that a trillion – pieces. It wasn't fair, why couldn't she like someone who liked her back?

Misty could feel the tears threatening to fall from her eyes, and she struggled to hold them back. If Ash saw them, it would be almost as bad as admitting her feelings to him. She'd never cried in front of him, and she planned to keep it that way.

**_Oh, why should anything so easy, ever be so hard to do?_**

The only way she'd ever cry in front of him is if they were together…but, like that would ever happen. Ash didn't like her in that way, she knew it. So she couldn't tell him. Not that she could even if he did like her, anyway, it was way too hard. She'd never be brave enough to say those three stupid, STUPID little words…

**_I wanna tell you what I'm feeling, and to  
say that, I love you_**

Those three STUPID, STUPID, STUPID words would be the death of her! Why couldn't she just say it? _I LOVE YOU._ Why was that so hard?

**_Why, do you turn away  
It must be, you're afraid like me_**

Hey…wait, when she looked at him, he'd turned away. Why? He didn't have anything to hide, unlike her. But…what if he did? What if he actually did feel the same way about her, but was just as scared to say anything as she was? She hoped it was true, that he liked her back.

**_I try, but I can't pretend that I  
Don't feel for you the way I do  
Can't you see?_**

For so long she'd tried to deny her feelings for Ash. But she'd finally admitted, even if only to herself. She knew exactly how she felt about Ash…but she had to try and keep it a secret. It must not be working, though, 'cos everyone was always mistaking the two of them for a couple. Secretly she liked the idea of being Ash's girlfriend, even if she pretended to be really mad about it. But she had to keep trying to pretend she didn't feel that way about him…  
_  
Oh Ash, why can't you see the way I feel about you? _she thought to herself in frustration.

**_I wanna tell you what I'm feeling, but I  
don't know how to start_**

After all they'd been through together, he was just so dense that he didn't see how she felt about him. Everyone seemed to know, even Brock and Pikachu. Everyone except Ash… He really couldn't take a hint, could he? He should know, even if he doesn't feel the same…

**_I wanna tell you, but now I'm afraid that  
you might break my heart_**

Misty had to try again. She had to tell him, she just HAD to! It didn't matter how scared she was, she had to go for it finally. She had to be brave!

**_Oh, why should anything so easy, ever be so hard to do?_**

It was going to be hard, but she was going to try anyway. It was just three words, after all. Just three words…

**_I wanna tell you what I'm feeling, and to  
say that I love you..._**

Three words…that's all… Ash…_I love you!_

**~O~**

Ash yawned again, and Misty jumped.

"Hey, did you say somethin', Misty?" She was horrified. Had she said that out loud? Oh no, she hoped he hadn't heard her…

"Me? No, nothing! I didn't say anything, Ash! …Goodnight," she replied quickly, stood up, and started to walk over to her sleeping bag. She had only taken one step when she felt Ash's hand close around her wrist, pulling her back.

Blushing, she tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let go. He put his free hand under her chin, lifting it up, and forced her to look into his eyes. "Misty," he whispered, making her shiver.

"Y-yes, Ash?" she stammered, looking anywhere but at him.

Ash leaned forward slowly, and she closed her eyes. His lips brushed against hers, sending sparks through her whole body and making her lips tingle like crazy. It was incredible, like nothing she'd ever felt before.

Her eyes were still closed, and his voice was so soft that she wasn't even sure that she even heard his next words right. He said, "_I love you too._" Then he was gone, and she opened her eyes.

Ash was curled up in his sleeping bag. Had she imagined the whole thing? Had he been sleeping there the whole time?

But when she had settled into her sleeping bag and was almost asleep, she felt someone brush away a strand of stray hair from her face, and Ash's soft lips gently kiss her forehead.

"Goodnight, Misty," he whispered, his lips moving against her skin. "Never forget, _I love you too_."

Misty drifted off to sleep with her lips curved up in a contented smile.


End file.
